Alabama

Jaguars rely on 'great effort overall' to achieve 3rd win at Ladd

(Press-Register/G.M. Andrews)University of South Alabama running back Brandon Ross reaches out to score a touchdown against Georgia Military College during action in the second half Saturday, Oct 10, 2009, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. Trying to stop Ross is Georgia Military College linebacker Jarvis Brice. MOBILE, Ala. -- South Alabama was supposed to be playing its toughest opponent of the season Saturday, but the scoreboard at Ladd-Peebles Stadium indicated otherwise as the Jaguars defeated Georgia Military Junior College 31-3.

The Jaguars held the Bulldogs to 234 yards and scored a couple of defensive touchdowns as they improved to 3-0 in front of 15,183 spectators. Georgia Military's only points came on Evan Kay's 31-yard field goal.

"It was a great effort overall," South Alabama coach Joey Jones said. "Obviously, we played great defensively, and just played a very solid football game. It was a great team effort.

"Georgia Military is a very good football program, and we knew that going in. Our kids came in and worked, they came in determined and ready to play, and I was proud of them. It speaks a lot for what the players and my staff have done."

USA's offense, which had a season-low 251 total yards, produced its best drive of the day after the defense held on fourth down at the South Alabama 33. The Jaguars went 67 yards in 10 plays, scoring on running back Brandon Ross' 7-yard burst through the middle of the Bulldogs' defense. Michel Chapuseaux's extra point gave USA a 7-0 lead in the second quarter.

The Jaguars' defense took over from there, scoring the next two touchdowns.

Free safety Zach Brownell, who stopped a Bulldogs drive with an interception earlier in the game, picked off quarterback Chris Hart for the second time late in the half and returned it 26 yards with 1:26 left in the half. Chapuseaux's PAT made it 14-0.

The lead increased to 21-0 midway through the third quarter when outside linebacker Clifton Crews caused a fumble when sacking Hart, then picked up the loose ball and sprinted 10 yards for the score.

"That's great," Jones said of the defensive scores. "Those guys want to get a shutout if they can, but they love scoring touchdowns as well. It's always fun for them to do that. Those are game changers."

South Alabama stretched its advantage to 28-3 early in the fourth period on Ross' 10-yard run, and the Jaguars' final points came on a 39-yard field goal from Lawson McGlon with 2:07 left.

"I'm just not happy with the way we executed today," said Georgia Military coach Bert Williams, whose team fell to 3-3. "We had a couple of opportunities in the first half where the (secondary) coverage was busted and we just couldn't throw and catch. It would have made a difference in the game."

Hart completed 15 of 33 attempts for 146 yards with three interceptions, all to Brownell, who also had 6 tackles. The Bulldogs had only 88 yards rushing.

South Alabama finished with 199 rushing yards, with Ross picking up 79 yards on 15 attempts. USA quarterback Myles Gibbon connected on 6 of 13 passes for only 44 yards with one interception.

"There's always room for improvement, but our running game is what we are this year," Jones said. "We've got to get better at throwing the football when we need to throw it."